Leverstock Green had a disappointing Tuesday night as they went down to a single-goal defeat to Harpenden Town at Pancake Lane. In a game of few chances and little goalmouth action, Leverstock played much of the game with ten men and finished up with nine.

The visitors, for whom former Green striker Chris Blunden was making his debut, took the lead in the 12th minute. A moment of defensive hesitation allowed Matt Standen to win the ball and run through to shoot home from a narrow angle.

In the 19th minute Leverstock were reduced to ten men. Cass Grant lost control of the ball in midfield and then launched into a dangerous sliding studs-up challenge at an opponent, and it was no surprise when the referee immediately brandished a straight red card.

Harpenden had much the better of the first half, but apart from the goal only had a few shots off-target to show for it. Leverstock had their first glimmer of a chance in first half stoppage time when a long throw from Alex Ward dropped in the box for Louie Griffiths, but his shot was turned away by keeper Alex Desmond.

The second half was a similar story, with the visitors struggling to put together meaningful attacks as much as the Green side. Griffiths had a good attempt at goal in the 70th minute, but it went over the bar, and in the closing minutes Leverstock won two corners in quick succession – their first of the game – which caused some concern in the Harpenden six-yard box, but nobody could put the ball away. In truth, neither keeper had a save to make in the second half.  With two minutes left to play skipper John Smith was sin-binned, which was the end of his game, and the nine men were not able to pull off another late escape.

Leverstock Green returned to winning ways with an excellent three points against a team in the top six. It was their third come-from-behind win of the season, all of them after conceding an early goal. It was a good game to watch, albeit with not too many clear-cut chances for either side.

There were two new signings in the squad today, with Darion Furlong, previously with London Colney, starting up front, and Conor Blake, signed from Tring Athletic, coming on as a second half substitute.

Having made such a poor start in Tuesday night’s defeat at Leighton Town, the last thing the Green side needed was to concede another early goal, but they did, and this one was somewhat self-inflicted. Matt Fallon came out of his penalty area to clear the ball, but didn’t catch it right and the ball went straight to Taishan Jordan, who instantly launched a lob over the stranded Fallon towards the empty net. Although Fallon scrambled back to get a hand on the ball, it had already crossed the line.

However, Leverstock settled down and started to play some good football, with Furlong and Louie Griffiths looking lively as a front two. A deserved equaliser came in the 17th minute, scored by Steve Hawes, who brought the ball down on his chest about 20 yards out before striking a low shot which found the corner of the net.

Harefield came close to a second goal four minutes later when a cross from Samuel Shaw just missed Richard Pacquette coming in at the far post. Leverstock had a near miss in the 35th minute as Cass Grant went on a run down the left before crossing for Furlong, who turned and shot over the bar.

Leverstock continued to play well in the second half, and in the 65th minute they put together an excellent move which started in their own half. It finished with Frankie Jowle and Louie Griffiths combining to set up Alex Ward for a cross which found John Smith, whose goalbound shot was turned into the net by Cass Grant to put the Green into a 2-1 lead.

The game remained tight until the end, with Harefield substitute Gurkan Gokmen having a couple of chances in the last minute, but hitting one over the bar and another into the side netting. The Green defence played well throughout the game and Fallon redeemed himself with some decisive goalkeeping, confidently claiming a number of crosses and corners.

 

A last-gasp header from Dan Weeks rescued a deserved point for Leverstock Green as they drew 1-1 with Wembley on a wet Saturday afternoon at Pancake Lane.

It was a much-improved performance from the previous week’s game against Oxhey Jets, with the Leverstock side making a promising start to the game. In the 4th minute Kai Stonnell pulled the ball back to set up a chance for Cass Grant, but his shot was blocked by a defender. On 13 minutes Ollie Cox swung over a free kick which Weeks got on the end of, but headed wide. Having had most of the play up to that point, Leverstock then found themselves a goal down a minute later. Jonathan Iley headed home a free kick from inside the six-yard box to put Wembley into a 1-0 lead.

Another Cox free kick in the 21st minute resulted in an almighty goalmouth scramble, but nobody could put the ball away. Cox had a shot from distance in the 27th minute which went wide, and on 32 minutes John Smith tried his luck from a free kick. The shot took a deflection off the wall but keeper Raheem Belgrave was able to gather it.

Leverstock’s best chance of an equaliser came in the 41st minute when the referee spotted an infringement as another Cox free kick was floated into the box. A penalty was awarded, and the usually reliable Smith stepped up to take it, but his spot-kick was turned away by Belgrave. Having had a let-off, Wembley had a great chance to double their lead a minute later, but Leandro Riberio-Mateus shot wide from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

The game continued to hinge around free kicks early in the second half. On 50 minutes Matt Fallon produced a good save to turn away Yassine Fehmi-Gil’s effort from just outside the box. Three minutes later Jamie Ovington got on the end of another Cox free kick, but his header was gathered by Belgrave. Wembley had another great chance to add a second goal on 65 minutes when a succession of passes across the penalty area ended with Stephen Ebonine again having the goal his mercy, but pulling his shot wide.

Wembley were still holding onto their lead as the game went into the final minutes. In the 89th minute a shot from Weeks was saved by Belgrave, and a minute later a cross from Weeks found Louie Griffiths at the far post but he couldn’t get his header on target. In the fourth minute of stoppage time Leverstock were awarded a free kick on the edge of the centre circle. Everyone except Fallon went up into the box as Cox floated the ball in, but it was Weeks who got his head on it and diverted the ball into the corner of the net for a superb equaliser.

There was barely time to restart the game before the referee blew the final whistle, as the Green team rescued a point that they had certainly deserved from the game as a whole.

Leverstock Green’s two-match winning run came to an end on a disappointing afternoon against an Oxhey Jets side containing five former Leverstock players. The Green side defended well, but created few chances in the game and were beaten by a single second half goal.

The first half was particularly short on chances for both sides, with Andrew Brennan coming close twice for the visitors with headers, the first being gathered by Matt Fallon in the 8th minute, and the second going wide in the 34th minute. Leverstock didn’t win their first corner until the 41st minute, and they were forced into a change before half time with the injured Bryn Rigarlsford being replaced by new signing Cass Grant, previously with London Colney.

Leverstock came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 56th minute when Jamie Ovington got on the end of a corner from Frankie Jowle, but his header hit the bar.

Oxhey made a substitution in the 61st minute, bringing on attacking player Nick Kerley for defender Scott Bonner, and that proved to be something of a turning point as two minutes later a ball forward found Kerley, who ran on before putting a low ball across goal which was deflected into his own net by John Smith.

Two more changes for Leverstock saw Jamie Fulton and Ollie Lawford enter the game, but chances were still at a premium. On 77 minutes a crossfield ball from Smith found Jowle, who beat a defender before pulling the ball back for Lawford, but his shot was blocked.

Leverstock pushed more players forward over the closing minutes, but it was the visitors who came closer to scoring on the break. Kerley hit a shot wide on 84 minutes, and had a shot saved by Fallon three minutes later. In the 89th minute Reece Cameron broke away and set up Kerley, but Fallon saved again, and again a minute later when Kerley returned the favour to Cameron.